It is common to utilize air fresheners, scent capsules or cartridges, and the like to mask or remove undesirable odors, or to provide a desired aroma to a portion of a vehicle such as the passenger cabin interior. A variety of such devices are known, including “hang tag” style air fresheners which are hung from a portion of the vehicle such as the rear view mirror. Alternatively, various scents are provided in liquid form for sprinkling at various locations within the passenger cabin. Still more, cartridge-style scent dispensers are known which may be placed in an unobtrusive location within the passenger cabin. Such devices, while allowing dispersion of a desired scent, typically do not evenly distribute the scent in the passenger cabin. Moreover, hang tag style air fresheners risk obscuring a driver's view through the vehicle windshield.
It is also known to provide other attachable devices for distributing a scent. Such devices typically include a chamber for holding a solid or liquid scent source and may include a clip for affixing to a portion of the vehicle. For example, certain clip-on devices are configured for attaching to a portion of a vehicle vent register. As conditioned air from the vehicle heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system passes through the vent register, it also passes over and/or through the clip-on scent dispenser, advantageously providing a more even dispensing of scent throughout the passenger cabin.
However, such clip-on scent dispensers also create certain problems. Depending on their design, a portion of the HVAC airflow may be blocked, resulting in reduced distribution of conditioned air from the HVAC system. Moreover, it is common for such clip-on devices to be configured to attach to one or more vanes associated with the vent register. As is known, such vanes are typically configured to pivot to allow re-directing airflow from the HVAC system as desired. However, a clip-on device may interfere with the pivoting movement of such vanes, reducing the user's ability to control the direction of air movement.
Accordingly, the present disclosure relates to an improved motor vehicle vent register. Advantageously, the described vent register incorporates an integral scent-dispensing chamber without increasing a footprint defined by the vent register.